Years of Dust : The Story of the Dust Bowl

by Marrin, Albert (Author)

• ISBN13: 9780525420774
• ISBN10: 0525420770
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Picture Book
• Copyright: 2009-08-20
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Summary

Calling it the worst environmental disaster in American history, historian Marrin (The Great Adventure) chronicles the Dust Bowl of the 1930sits causes, devastation, aftermath and potential to recur. The large format allows for plenty of sidebars, maps and striking sepia photographs as Marrin addresses wide-ranging topics, from a discussion of prairie ecology to the story behind Dorothea Lange's famous Migrant Mother photograph. Nine chapters detail events leading up to the demise of the prairie grasslands and the tragedies of those affected by the severe dust storms that followed. Easily comprehensible, the lengthy narrative leaves nothing undefined. Numerous side panels place aspects of the tragedy in context, e.g., in recounting the slaughter of buffalo, a sidebar shows a drawing of a buffalo hunter on the cover of Harper's Weekly (Hunters were social outcasts. Even the army did not want them). The captions also offer relevant information. Marrin ends with a warning that this type of avoidable disaster can strike again (he notes the dust storms currently taking place in China). A glossary, extensive bibliography and index wrap up this thorough work. Ages 9up. (Aug.) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Biography

Albert Marrin is the author of over two dozen awardwinning nonfiction books for young people. He lives in Riverdale, New York.